A hospital patient died after an emergency piece of medical equipment was unplugged by a healthcare assistant, an inquest heard.

Elizabeth 'Betty' Rowling had a severe chest infection and needed specialist breathing apparatus known as a BiPAP machine.

But the 82-year-old, who had four children, died at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro after the assistant couldn't find a vacant socket for her blood pressure equipment and accidentally unplugged it, an inquest was told.

The assistant and two on-duty nurses tried to restart the machine but were unable to set it up correctly.

Elizabeth 'Betty' Rowling died at the Royal Cornwall Hospital (pictured) after an emergency piece of medical equipment was unplugged by a health care assistant, an inquest has heard

Ms Rowling, from Illogan, Cornwall, was admitted to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in February 2011 after her health deteriorated following a recent hip replacement.

The great grandmother, who previously lived in a detached bungalow in the pretty village, was found to have a chest infection in both lungs and her condition was so dire that medical staff had doubts she would make it through the night.

During the night the healthcare assistant, who has not been named, arrived to take Ms Rowling's blood pressure but was unable to find a spare plug for her equipment.